Wallace



, A118 25, 1942. H. A. WALLACE RAILWY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUSFiled Aug. 24, 1940 lvENToR Herbal y HLS' ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 25,1942 :at .erica i RAILHWAY. TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS' ApplicationAugust-24', 1940, Serial No. 354,069'

21Glairns.:

My invention relates to railway traiiicxcontrolling apparatus, andparticularly, to; such apparatusifor.' the, control off tralicmovements.

along:fintersectingitracks;

More.y specifically.; my invention; relates'Y to railway,ltraino-controlling apparatus forintersecting tracksf'onezofiwhichconstitutes ai, relatvelyginferior.lineon Whichralltrains; arerequiredcto stop-before: proceeding over the intersection; and the.other of-'which constitutes a main-ormoreimportant linegony whichit'jisydesired that lasfew 1' trains as possible shall beVrequiredrftostopf at` the intersection.=

A i few -features of 'my invention are the provision of two derails forthe inferiorflinegvone on each side of the intersection, eachl of'rwhichis biased towards the derailing position by some suitable means'such,forexample,` as aspring,

but each operableagainstthe'force exertedY by the biasing means to thenon-derailing position by a ltrain receding. fromA the intersection;Vthe provision of means-such1for example; as a lever forat timesmanually operatingeach derailto the non-derailing position; against theforce exerted by the biasing 'means; and the provision of locking meansresponsive tortraiic movements ony the more `important track-forpreventing op-k eration of the manual ymeans it-a, train on the moreimportant trackoccupies4 a given approach section oneither sideof theintersection while approaching the intersection orifit occupies a givendetectorV section at'theV intersection, but for releasing the manualmeans while the train occupies the approach section, onzthe oppositeside ofthe intersection whilejreceding'irom the intersection Aafterleaving thez, detector section.

I shalll describe one form of apparatus embodying my` invention,and'shall then point out the novel 'features thereof in claims:

In theaccompanying1draWing,Fig Vl isa diagrammatic View showing oneform-of-apparatus embodying my invention; and.-Fi`g. 2 is-a`diagrammatic view-showing'more in detail-aportion-of the apparatus shownin-Fig-.l l'.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of theviews.

ReferringV first toV Fig. l, a main track A is shown intersected-by aninferior track X; Main track A is divided by insulated joints 5- into adetector section 2T extending through the intersection, and approachsections IT and 3T adjacent opposite ends of the. detector section. Thesection 4T is divided from adjacent portions of track X b-yotlier'insulated ijoints ,5.V The intersection are connected; together.by conduc-4 torspz'I and;8,xand-y theportions of'section 4T on oppositesides of the intersection are( connected to each otherby conductors 9and `IiL Each track section is` provided witha; track- I circuitincludingfasuitable source of` current such as. a battery 6connectedacross theirails. adjacentrone-,end of the section, ,and a:track relay designatedv by thereference; character; R preceded bythe`reference-characterfor the associated' section connected, acrossv the,rails adjacentthe oppositeend of thesection.

A signalY ISgovernstraic: movements on track As. over the; intersectionfrom left tot; right as. shown inzthe. drawing; WhichVlislfiall'assume-` is the; eastbound' direction. Aw secondsignal .s 2Sgoverns trailicmovements f on track'. A; over 5 the. intersection in;theopposite orzvwestboundzfdirecf tion.

Track XV is equipped-,With two derailsffIDcand 2D;shown as oftheasplitepointtypw one'r'omeach side of the, intersection;`Thesederails arebiased towards the derailing position-in which they are`shown; by suitableivmeans 1F. and ZF; respectively, such; forl example,asi ay spring, but eaclrisV operable; againstthe biasing means3toa'jnonderailing position-. by a; train trailing through it` after;passingfover the intersection.

DeraillD -isalso operable,manually` by a lever i V against the biasingmeans to-the non-@derailing position through-mechanical connections II,- I2 and I3. Derail 2D is similarlyjoperable manually by a; lever 2V.to :theinon-derailingposition againstfthe biasing'means. Eachpf` thelevers IV andEiVhas a normal'postion nfin Which-:it isshowniin rthedra-Wing, anda-reverse position Vr.

Fixed indicating devices 3Sfand lSfare shown adjacentiopposite` endsY of'section 4T 'and adjacent` derails: ID and 2D, respectively, to show tothe enginementhe locationof'these derails and track section 4T.

Manual operation of flever, IV is` controlled by an electriclockmagnetIEwhich, whendeenergized; drops a lockingrdog I'into aznotch in the barI 2,' thereby preventing operation of derailgID joy levery IV. MagnetIE, upon lbecoming energized; lifts" dog If out of thev notch in bar"I2', thereby, permitting operation of derail ID-to the non-derailingposition` by lever'lIV. The operation of derail 2D by lever 2V issimilarlyv` controlled by an .electric lock magnet 2E.1

Lock magnets IE;;and,2E are controlled-by track:r elays; ITR; 2TR andBTRand by directional stick relaysES iand `WS,xso; that a portion portionsof'section 2T on opposite sides of the 55 of the energizing circuitsfor, magnet IE, for;

example, will be open while an eastbound train occupies sections IT and2T, but a branch path will be closed for energizing magnet IE while theeastbound train occupies section 3T after leaving section 2T. Pushbutton circuit controllers IP and 2P which are biased in a suitablemanner to the open position in which they are shown, but which aremanually operable to the closed position, are used in the energizingcircuits for magnets IE and 2E, respectively, in order to keep thecircuits for these magnets normally open and thereby save current.

Stick relay ES is controlled by an eastbound train to become energizedwhen the train enters section IT, and to remain energized while thetrain occupies sections 2T and 3T. Relay WS is similiarly controlled bywestbound trains.

Referring now to Fig. 2, one form of mechanical connections which can beused between lever IV and derail ID, and one form of the biasing meansIF are shown in detail. As here shown, bar I2 has a slot 29 in which apin or roller 28 is freely movable from one end to the other. Whenderail ID is operated to the non-derailing position by a train, pin 28is moved to the lefthand end of slot 29, by mechanical connection I3,without moving bar I2. When derail ID is operated by lever IV, bar I2bears against pin 28 at the right-hand end of slot 29, forcing derail IDto the non-derailing position through connection I3, and therebycompressing a spring 30, one end of which is attached to derail ID andthe other end of which is attached to a fixed block 3l. When lever IV isreturned to the n position, derail ID will be returnd to the derailingposition by spring 30. 'I'he mechanical connections between lever 2V andderail 2D, and the biasing means 2F can also be as shown in Fig. 2.

Having described, in general, the arrangement and control of theapparatus shown in the accompanying drawing, I shall now describe indetail its operation.

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in the normal condition, that is,all track relays are energized; relays ES and WS are deenergized; leversIV and 2V are in the normal or n position; lock magnets IE and 2E aredeenergized because their circuits are open at push button circuitcontroller contacts IP and 2P; derails ID and 2D are in the derailingposition; and signals IS and 2S are indicating proceed.

Signals IS and 2S are retained in their proceed positions by meanscontrolled by circuits passing from terminal B of a suitable source ofcurrent, through contact I5 operated in conjunction with derail 2D,Contact I6 operated in conjunction with derail ID, contact I 'I of trackrelay 4TR, and thence through the mechanisms of signals IS and 2S inmultiple to terminal C of the same source of current.

I shall assume that an eastbound train enters section IT, therebydeenergizing relay ITR. Contact 24 of relay ITR then opens a portion ofthe circuits for magnets IE and 2E. Relay ITR, upon becomingdeenergized, completes a pickup circuit for relay ES passing fromterminal B, through contact I8 of relay ITR, winding of relay ES, andcontact 22 of relay WS to terminal C. When the train enters section 2T,a stick circuit is completed for relay ES passing from terminal B,through contact I9 of relay ZTR, contact 2| of relay ES, winding ofrelay ES, and contact 22 of relay WS to terminal C. When .the trainproceeds further and enters section 3T, a second stick circuit iscompleted for relay ES, which is the same as the rst stick circuitexcept including contact 20 of relay 3TR instead of contact I9 of relay2TR.

I shall now assume that a southbound train on track X arrives at thefixed indicating device 3S. The train will stop, and a trainman willdepress push button IP. If there is no train on track A, a circuit willbe completed for energizing magnet IE passing from terminal B, throughcontact 23 of relay 2TR, contact 24 of relay ITR, contact 21 of relay3TR, push button circuit controller IP, and the winding of magnet IE toterminal C. Magnet IE, upon becoming energized, will lift dog I4 out ofthe notch in bar I2, and the trainman will then move lever IV to its rposition, thereby closing derail ID against its biasing means. Movementof derail ID away from its normal position opens contact I6, therebycausing signals IS and 2S to indicate stop.

The southbound train will then proceed over derail ID in the closed ornon-derailing position. The southbound train, upon entering section 4T,deenergizes relay 4TR, which causes the circuits for signals IS and 2Sto also be opened at contact I'I of this relay. After the train passesderail ID, a trainman will return lever IV to the n position. It willnot be necessary for the train to stop at derail 2D because the train,upon trailing through this derail while receding from the intersection,will operate it to the non-detailing position. After the train passesover derail 2D, the biasing means will return this derail to itsderailing position.

I shall next assume that a second southbound train on track X arrives atthe xed indicating device 3S, and that a trainman again closes pushbutton circuit controller IP. I shall further assume that an eastboundtrain on track A already occupies section IT, causing the circuits formagnets IE and 2E to be opened at contact 24 of relay ITR. When theeastbound train enters section 2T, the circuits for energizing magnetsIE and 2E will also be opened at contact 23 of relay ZTR. When thistrain leaves section 2T, a second circuit for energizing magnets IE and2E will become closed if a trainman depresses push button IP, thiscircuit passing from terminal B, through contact 23 of relay 2TH,contact 24 of relay I'I'R, contact 28 of relay ES, circuit controllerIP, and the winding of magnet IE to terminal C.

I have described the operation of the apparatus for typical eastboundand southbound train movements. It is believed that, in view of thisdescription, the operation of the apparatus for westbound and northboundtraic movements, or for any other possible traic movements, will bereadily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatusembodying my invention, it is understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Railway traic controlling apparatus for governing traic movementsover an intersection of two tracks one of which includes a detectorsection in which the intersection is located and also includes twoapproach sections one at each end of said detector section, comprisingin combination, two derails for the other of said tracks one on eachside of the intersection and each provided with biasing means forforcing the corresponding derail toward the derailing position but eachoperable against its biasing means to the non-derailing position by atrain receding from the intersection, manual means for also operatingsaid derails to the non-derailing position, two stick relays one foreach direction of trac movements over said one track, means responsiveto a train approaching the intersection in either direction in thecorresponding approach section for energizing the stick relay for thatdirection if the other stick relay is deenergized and for retaining thestick relay for that direction energized while said train occupies thedetector section and while the train recedes from the intersection inthe other approach section, and locking means responsive to a trainmoving in either direction on said one track for preventing operation ofsaid manual means while said train is approaching said intersection inthe corresponding approach section or oc-cupies said detector sectionand controlled by the corresponding stick relay for releasing saidmanual means while said train is receding from said intersection in theother of said approach sections after leaving said detector section.

2. Railway trac controlling apparatus for governing traiic movementsover a point at which two tracks meet, one of said tracks including adetector section in which the meeting point of the two tracks is locatedand also including two approach sections one at each end of saiddetector section, comprising in combination, a derail for the other ofsaid tracks provided with biasing means for forcing the derail towardthe derailing position but operable against the biasing means to thenon-derailing position by a train receding from the meeting point oversaid derail, manual means for also operating said derail to thenonderailing position, two stick relays one for each direction of traicmovements over said one track, means responsive to a train approachingthe meeting point in either direction the corresponding approach sectionfor energizing the stick relay for that direction if the other stickrelay is deenergized and for retaining the stick relay for thatdirection energized while said train occupies the detector section andWhile the train recedes from the meeting point in the other approachsection, and locking means responsive to a train moving over said onetrack for preventing operation of said derail by said manual means whilesaid train on said one track is approaching said meeting point in thecorresponding approach section or occupies said detector section butcontrolled by said stick relays for releasing said derail for manualoperation while a train is receding in the other approach section fromsaid meeting point after leaving said detector section.

HERBERT A. WALLACE.

